Vriesea plant named ‘V821-1’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Vriesea  cultivar named ‘V821-1’ is disclosed, characterized by dark pink inflorescence, and a unique somewhat striped foliage. The new variety is a  Vriesea , typically produced as an indoor ornamental plant.

Latin name of the genus and species: Vriesea hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘V821-1’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program. The new variety originated from a cross pollination of an, unpatented proprietary Vriesea hybrid seed parent referred to as ‘V420-5’ and the pollen parent, an unpatented, proprietary variety of Vriesea hybrid referred to as ‘V602-6’. The crossing was made during March of 2002.

The new variety was discovered by the inventor, Herb Hill., a citizen of the United States, in September 2006 in a group of seedlings resulting from the crossing. The new cultivar was found in a research greenhouse in Lithia, Fla.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘V821-1’ was first performed at a commercial laboratory in Florida by tissue culture during March of 2007. During this time, no access to plants was available to the public. The first public access to the variety occurred August 2012. Subsequent propagation by tissue culture has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘V821-1’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘V821-1.’ These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘V821-1’ as a new and distinct Vriesea cultivar:

-   -   1. Unique dark pink inflorescence color.     -   2. Unusual leaf color with striping.

PARENT COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘V821-1’ are similar to the unpatented seed parent in most horticultural characteristics. The new variety however differs in the following characteristic:

-   -   1. ‘V821-1’ has a dark pink inflorescence whereas the seed         parent has an orange inflorescence.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘V821-1’ are similar to the pollen parent in most horticultural characteristics. The new variety however differs in the following characteristic:

-   -   1. ‘V821-1’ has a dark pink inflorescence whereas the pollen         parent has a pink and orange inflorescence.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

‘V821-1’ can be compared to the unpatented commercial variety of Vriesea known as ‘Madonna’. Plants of Vriesea ‘Madonna’ are similar to plants of ‘V821-1’ in most horticultural characteristics. However ‘V821-1’ differs from ‘Class’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. ‘V821-1’ has a different plant shape than ‘Madonna’.     -   2. ‘V821-1’ produces a dark pink inflorescence, whereas         ‘Madonna’ produces and white and pink inflorescence.     -   3. Plants of ‘V821-1’ produce leaves that have a striping         pattern, whereas leaves of ‘Madonna’ are solid.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color a typical plant of ‘V821-1’ grown in a greenhouse in De Kwakel, the Netherlands. This plant is approximately 20 months old, shown in an 12 cm. pot. The photograph was taken using conventional techniques and although colors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance it is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart 2001, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe ‘V821-1’ plants grown in a climate controlled greenhouse in De Kwakel, the Netherlands. Temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 22° C. at night to 20° C. to 28° C. during the day. No artificial light, photoperiodic or chemical treatments were given to the plants. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Vriesea hybrid ‘V821-1’.

PROPAGATION

-   Type of propagation typically used: Tissue culture. -   Time to initiate roots: About 15 days at approximately 20° C. -   Time to produce a rooted cutting/liner: About 180 days at     approximately 22° C. -   Root description: Moderately dense, moderately branched, fine,     fibrous, not fleshy, colored near RHS Greyed-Orange 163D.

PLANT

-   Growth habit: Main rosette with inflorescence growing from the     centre;     -   -   Overall plant-shape.—Broad ovate. -   Height:     -   -   Approximately.—32.5 cm. -   Plant spread:     -   -   Approximately.—35.6 cm. -   Normal pot size: 12 cm pot. -   Growth rate: Moderate. -   Branching characteristics: Monopodial, leaves form a basal rosette,     inflorescence grows from the center of the rosette. No stem present. -   Number of leaves per scape:     -   -   Average.—32.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:     -   -   Arrangement.—Rosulate (in a basal rosette).         -   Average length.—Approximately 21.1 cm.         -   Average width.—Approximately 4.8 cm.         -   Shape of blade.—Ligulate.         -   Aspect.—Leaves in an average angle of 50° to vertical (=0°).         -   Apex.—Abruptly acute, tip pointed downward 45°             (horizontal=0°) .         -   Base.—Decurrent. Sheath length: Average 5.5 cm. Sheath             width: Average 8.0 cm. Sheath color: Both sides             yellow-green; near RHS 146C, tinged greyed-purple; near RHS             N187B to N187C.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture of top surface.—Smooth, very glossy.         -   Texture of bottom surface.—Smooth, glossy.         -   Color.—Young foliage upper side: Green to yellow-green; in             between near RHS 143C and 144A, irregularly axially striped             green; near RHS 143A. Young foliage under side: Green to             yellow-green; in between near RHS 143C and 144A, irregularly             axially striped green; near RHS 143A. Mature foliage upper             side: Green; in between near RHS N137A and 143A, but darker,             irregularly axially striped yellow-green; near RHS 147A but             darker. Mature foliage under side: Yellow-green; near RHS             146B, irregularly axially striped yellow-green; near RHS             147A.         -   Venation.—Type: Parallel. Venation coloration:             Indistinguishable from leaf blade. -   Petiole: No petioles present, leaves sheathing.

INFLORESCENCE

-   General description: Scape growing from the center of the basal     rosette, inflorescence branched into a paniculate shape; only bracts     visible, individual flowers not visible but fully enclosed by     bracts.     -   -   Inflorescence height, excluding scape.—Approximately 24.1             cm.         -   Inflorescence width.—Approximately 12.8 cm. -   Scape:     -   -   Length.—Approximately 17.9 cm.         -   Width.—Approximately 0.7 cm.         -   Aspect.—Approximately 90° angle to rosette (=0°).         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Color.—Greyed-orange; near RHS 172A. -   Bracts:     -   -   Scape/lowermost bracts.—Shape: Broad ovate. Length:             Approximately 1.6 cm, excluding sheath. Width: Approximately             1.5 cm. Quantity: Average 8. Tip: Broad apiculate. Base:             Sheathing. Sheath length: Approximately 3.9 cm. Sheath             width: Approximately 2.6 cm. Sheath color: Yellow-green;             near RHS 148D, tinged greyed-green; 196A. Margin: Entire.             Color Upperside: Green; near RHS 143A, yellow-green towards             the base; near RHS 147D. Color Underside: Yellow-green; near             144A, lighter towards the base; near RHS 144C.         -   Terminal bracts.—Shape: Ovate, folded (flattened). Length:             Approximately 2.1 cm, excluding sheath. Width: Approximately             2.2 cm; however, bracts are folded, so effectively it is two             times 1.1 cm. Quantity: Average 61. Tip: Apiculate. Base:             Sheathing. Sheath length: Approximately 3.5 cm. Sheath             width: Approximately 2.8 cm; however, bracts are folded, so             effective it is two times 1.4 cm. Sheath color: Red; near             RHS 53D. Margin: Entire. Coloration Terminal Bracts:             Upperside: Red; near RHS 53B. Underside: Red; near RHS 53B.

FLOWER

-   Flowering characteristics: Individual flowers fully enclosed by the     bracts and therefore not visible from outside; each bract encloses     one individual flower. -   Days to flowering (better is: to commercial plant) from tissue     culture: 2 to 2.5 years. -   Inflorescence and flower type and habit: Inflorescence paniculate,     individual flower single. -   Flower longevity on plant:     -   -   Average.—3 months. -   Quantity of buds and flowers per plant:     -   -   Average.—61. -   Persistent or self-cleaning: Persistent. -   Bud:     -   -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Length.—Average: 1.3 cm.         -   Diameter.—Average: 0.3 cm.         -   Color.—Yellow-green; near RHS 145B, base lighter, near RHS             150D. -   Flower size:     -   -   Diameter.—Average: 0.4 cm.         -   Depth.—Average: 2.1 cm. -   Petals:     -   -   Quantity.—Average: 3.         -   Arrangement.—Rotate, fused.         -   Length.—Average: 1.1 cm.         -   Width.—Average: 0.3 cm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate, fused.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cuneate, fused.         -   Margin.—Fused.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, slightly glossy.         -   Color.—When opening, upper surface: White; near RHS 155A,             tip green-yellow; near 1B. When opening, lower surface:             White; near RHS 155A, tip green-yellow; near 1B. Fully             opened, upper surface: White; near RHS 155A, tip             green-yellow; near 1B. Fully opened, lower surface: White;             near RHS 155A, tip green-yellow; near 1B. -   Staminoides: No staminodes present. -   Sepals:     -   -   Quantity.—Average: 3.         -   Length.—Average: 2.1 cm.         -   Width.—Average: 0.4 cm.         -   Shape (overall).—Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate,             fused.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Color.—Yellow-green; near RHS 145C, darker towards the top;             151B. -   Peduncles:     -   -   Length.—Average: 6.1 cm.         -   Diameter.—Average: 0.5 cm.         -   Angle.—About 40° to the lateral branch.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glossy.         -   Color.—Yellow-green; near RHS 144B to 144C. -   Fragrance:

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Stamens:     -   -   Number.—Average: 6. -   Anthers:     -   -   Shape.—Narrow oblong.         -   Length.—Approximately 0.6 cm.         -   Color.—Yellow; near RHS 8B.         -   Pollen.—No pollen detected. -   Pistil:     -   -   Number.—Average: 3.         -   Length.—Average: 0.4 cm.         -   Style.—Length: Average: 0.35 cm. Color: Yellow-white; near             RHS 158D.         -   Stigma.—Shape: Club-shaped. Color: Yellow:green; near RHS             151C. Ovary Color: Yellow-white; near RHS 158D.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Disease resistance: Neither resistance nor susceptibility to the     normal diseases and pests of Vriesea has been observed. -   Drought tolerance and cold tolerance: Observed to tolerate     temperatures to 35° C. without any negative effects. Temperature     tolerance above this range has not been observed. Tolerance of cold     temperatures has not been observed. -   Fruit/seed production: Not observed to date. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Vriesea plant named ‘V821-1’ as herein illustrated and described. 